When people fear the government, it is tyranny. When government fears the people, it is liberty.Skepticism of all government schemes and suspicion of all political practitioners is what attracts me to libertarianism. Indeed, political charlatans do their worst under cover of blind party loyalty (He may be a rotten crook, but he's our rotten crook, and look at the goodies he got us!) Instead of getting into arguments over Republican-Democrat issues, libertarians aim their darts at government gone wild, regardless of whether the cause is stampeding elephants or braying jackasses.
--Thomas Jefferson
You see, both parties have departed from the original purpose of government: to secure the liberties of all citizens and to protect our God-given, inalienable rights. The Demicans and Republicrats now see government as a tool to achieve their own selfish ends. Ignorant citizens have caught the contagion, believing government power should be used to shape social policy and cure every ill. The founders are rolling over in their graves.
Politicians of all stripes know that the first step to getting something done is to scare everybody. Next step is to define the boundaries of the debate. Final step before ramming it home is to demonize the opposition. Whoever can frame the debate is 90% on the way to winning it.
In a Reason Magazine article, Jesse Walker compares the Stimulus Stampede of '09 to the Iraq War Rush of '03 and the Patriot Act Panic of '01.
The Dems have learned a lot from the administration they deposed. As the St. Lawrence University economist Steve Horwitz wrote this week, "Accusing your opponents of being 'ethics-free Republican hacks'...means you don't have to argue for the merits of the individual pieces, just scare the public and demonize the opposition. Of course, that's exactly what these same folks complained about after 9/11. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss indeed."Regardless of where you stand on these three issues, an honest assessment reveals that the same pattern was used in all three: Scare, Define, Demonize, Ram it through with minimal debate. Iraq is somewhat of an exception, the Democrats caved in on that one with barely a fight.
Lesson Learned: If a politician says it's gotta be done now, all kinds of sirens and alarm bells should be going off in your head, regardless of party loyalty.
http://reason.com/news/show/131332.html
6 comments:
Good piece Silverfiddle and this statement "He may be a rotten crook, but he's our rotten crook, and look at the goodies he got us!" without the goodies part is what I used to say to liberal friends.
Saying I'd rather be part of the party seeking liberty for others and using our power to clean up this hellhole than the party of "gimme gimmme gimme!" but after the lack of gratitude from Muslims I now say let the world rot for all I care. Just wipe it clean where we can, the corruption of both sides gotten out of control (more so on the left particularly now more than ever)so I re registered 2008 as an independent but will never vote leftward.
I just don't want the "R" next to my name as least til they change an awful lot and I say anyone in Washington right now should be fired and hung top on down..
With Michael Steele at the help there may be hope for the Repubs. I just hope they've learned from their mistakes.
Government? What government? I no longer believe in government. There is less proof for the existence of a functioning goverment than there is for the existence of God!
How's that for adopting your philosophy CP?
lol
I see a fundamental difference between the 03 GWB and the 09 BHO. One uses fear to mobilise his own people into action. The other uses fear to demoralise his own people into action. One comes from a position of optimism, the other from pessimism.
Had GWB suggested after 9/11 that we all get on our knees and pray to allah, i'd see the comparison.
SteveH
Steve: My point is not so much to compare Bush negatively with Obama, but to encourage skepticism and lots of debate.
The Patriot Act was passed so quickly, it allowed Democrats to disingenuously claim that they had been fooled. I guess they also used that line on Iraq.
A good debate, on the record where everybody puts their marker down is the way to go. When government tells us something is so, we don't make them prove it, we just eat it up like a child eating candy.
Our President/past Presidents or our goverment officials, spouses, priests, or parents have never lied to us!! LOL!!!! Facts are facts- We are in a world of hurt and still continueing. What was the spark that caused this? Stock Market getting into housing market through legislation signed by Mr Clinton? The regualition governing for those unaffordable loans? The increase in fuel prices that took what little flexibility there was in a tight market? The 911 attack?
I beleive a new wave of social programs that eventually be taken over by the private sector is the Key. Then regualate crap out of ths stock market to prevent jerks from a 64 billion dollar screwing!
Redneck Ron
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